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Blankenship donated her kidney to Swift one week after completing the 2013 Beach to Beacon 10K.

"Patty is my lifesaver. I mean literally, she saved my life," said Swift.

As a baby, Swift was adopted from Columbia. He started showing signs of illness in late 2011 and visited doctors.

"Two hours later they confirmed that I had a rare form of chronic kidney disease and that I needed to probably go on dialysis," said Swift.

Unfortunately, his adoptive parents were not a match for organ donation. Swift was eventually put on kidney dialysis three days a week and was told he would have to wait up to five years or longer for a kidney donation.

"Really I wasn't in a good place, and I really just became recluse and I didn't want to enjoy life," said Swift.

After sharing Swift's story, Blankenship became intrigued and eventually felt the need to help.

"She said that his only hope was that he was going to need a kidney. I wondered, 'What do you need to do that? What do you need to do to do that? Maybe I could give a kidney,'" said Blankenship.

After months of consulation, Blankenship found out she was a match.

"I talked to a lot of people that had been recipients and donors, and when I educated myself I realized that it's a risk, but it wasn't. People can go on and live healthy lives, and it's pretty awesome," said Blankenship.

The pair underwent surgery at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital as part of a volunteer living donor kidney transplant program.

The pair has been training for the Beach to Beacon ever since and meet quite often to run Portland's back cove.

"I'll be passing the finish line next to someone who made me pass the finish line physically, and mentally and who made me. I have a brand new life," said Swift.